Air conditioner

ABSTRACT

An air conditioner is disclosed which uses a single blowing fan having one inlet and a pair of outlets to suck air from a room or from the outdoors and to blow a fraction of the sucked air to a dehumidification flow path while blowing the remaining fraction of the sucked air to a regeneration flow path. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the number of elements constituting the air conditioner, and thus, to reduce the installation costs. Also, it is possible to design a compact structure of the air conditioner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and, moreparticularly, to an air conditioner wherein it is possible to blow airto both a regeneration flow path and a dehumidification flow path usingonly one blowing fan, thereby achieving a reduction in the number ofconstituent elements, and thus, reducing the installation costs.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, air conditioners are used to form more comfortable indoorenvironments for users. Such an air conditioner includes a dehumidifierfor dehumidifying a confined space, for example, a room, a humidifierfor humidifying the room, and a ventilator for ventilating the room. Thedehumidifier removes moisture from indoor air using moisture absorbingand releasing functions of a dehumidifying rotor made of a desiccant.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a configuration of aconventional dehumidifier.

As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional dehumidifier includes adehumidifier body 2, a dehumidifying rotor 5 arranged in the interior ofthe dehumidifier body 2 and adapted to absorb moisture from ambient airor to release the absorbed moisture to the ambient air, adehumidification flow path 4 defined in the interior of the dehumidifierbody 2 such that the dehumidification flow path 4 extends through thedehumidifying rotor 5 at one side of the dehumidifying rotor 5, to guideindoor air to be dehumidified by the dehumidifying rotor 5, and a firstblowing fan 8 arranged in the dehumidification flow path 4, to force theindoor air to flow along the dehumidification flow path 4. Thedehumidifier also includes a regeneration flow path 10 defined in theinterior of the dehumidifier body 2 such that the regeneration flow path10 extends through the dehumidifying rotor 5 at the other side of thedehumidifying rotor 5, to guide circulating air to dry the dehumidifyingrotor 5, and a second blowing fan 12 arranged in the regeneration flowpath 10, to force the circulating air to flow along the regenerationflow path 10. The dehumidifier further includes a heater 14 arranged inthe regeneration flow path 10, to heat the circulating air, a condenser16 arranged in the regeneration flow path 10, to condense moistureabsorbed from the circulating air by the dehumidifying rotor 5, and amotor which rotates the dehumidifying rotor 5.

The dehumidifying rotor 5 is divided into an absorption portion 6corresponding to the side of the dehumidifying rotor 5, through whichthe dehumidification flow path 4 extends, and a regeneration portion 7corresponding to the side of the dehumidifying rotor 5, through whichthe regeneration flow path 10 extends. The absorption portion 6 absorbsmoisture contained in the indoor air passing through thedehumidification flow path 4, whereas the regeneration portion 7releases the moisture absorbed by the absorption portion 6 to thecirculating air.

After being used for a predetermined time, the dehumidifying rotor 5 isrotated by the motor 18 such that the positions of the absorptionportion 6 and regeneration portion 7 are reversed.

A drain pan 20 is arranged beneath the condenser 16, to collectcondensed water produced in the condenser 16.

Hereinafter, operation of the conventional dehumidifier having theabove-mentioned configuration will be described.

When the first blowing fan 8 operates, indoor air enters the interior ofthe dehumidifier body 2, and then flows along the dehumidification flowpath 4 to sequentially pass through the condenser 16 and the absorptionportion 6 of the dehumidifying rotor 5. Accordingly, the absorption 6 ofthe dehumidifying rotor 5 absorbs moisture from the indoor air, so thatthe indoor air is dehumidified. The dehumidified air is then dischargedto the room.

Meanwhile, when the second blowing fan 12 operates, air present in theregeneration flow path 10, namely, circulating air, is forced tocirculate the regeneration flow path 10. Accordingly, the circulatingair is heated by the heater 14, and is then forced to pass through theregeneration portion 7 of the dehumidifying rotor 5. As a result, theregeneration portion 7 of the dehumidifying rotor 5 is dried by thecirculating air. That is, the regeneration portion 7 of thedehumidifying rotor 5 releases moisture to the circulating air, so thatthe circulating air is humidified. The humidified air is then introducedinto the condenser 16.

The circulating air introduced into the condenser 16 heat-exchanges withthe indoor air passing around the condenser 16. As a result, thecirculating air, which is hot and humid, is condensed in the condenser16. Condensed water produced in the condenser 16 is discharged to thedrain pan 20.

However, the above-mentioned conventional dehumidifier has problems ofhigh installation costs and a limitation in reducing the size of thedehumidifier because the dehumidifier uses separate blowing fans to blowindoor air and circulating air, respectively, namely, the first andsecond blowing fans 8 and 12.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the problems incurred inthe related art, and it is an object of the invention to provide an airconditioner which can perform both a dehumidifying function ahumidifying function, thereby being capable of achieving a reduction ininstallation costs and size.

In accordance with the present invention, this object is accomplished byproviding an air conditioner comprising: a dehumidifying rotor dividedinto an absorption portion adapted to absorb moisture from air and aregeneration portion adapted to release moisture to air; adehumidification flow path defined to extend through the absorptionportion and adapted to guide air, to be dehumidified by the absorptionportion, to pass through the absorption portion; a regeneration flowpath defined to extend through the regeneration portion and adapted toguide air, to be humidified by the regeneration portion, to pass throughthe regeneration portion; and a blowing fan which sucks air from a roomor from the outdoors, and forces a fraction of the sucked air to flowalong the dehumidification flow path while forcing the remainingfraction of the sucked air to flow along the regeneration flow path.

The blowing fan may include an inlet, through which the air is suckedinto blowing fan, and a plurality of outlets, through each of which theair sucked through the inlet is discharged into an associated one of thedehumidification flow path and the regeneration flow path.

The blowing fan may be arranged in the dehumidification flow path.

The inlet and the first outlet may communicate with the dehumidificationflow path, and the second outlet may communicate with the regenerationflow path.

The blowing fan may comprise a centrifugal fan including a scrollhousing provided with the inlet, the first outlet, and the secondoutlet, and an impeller rotatably mounted in the scroll housing.

The first outlet and the second outlet may be arranged perpendicular toeach other.

The first outlet and the second outlet may be divided from each other bya flow guide mounted to the scroll housing.

The air conditioner may further comprise a heater arranged in theregeneration flow path, and adapted to heat the air which will passthrough the regeneration portion.

The air conditioner may further comprise a condenser arranged in theregeneration flow path, and adapted to condense the air which has passedthrough the regeneration portion.

The blowing fan may be arranged in the regeneration flow path betweenthe condenser and the dehumidifying rotor.

Since the air conditioner according to the present invention uses asingle blowing fan which has one inlet and a pair of outlets to suck airfrom a room or from the outdoors and to blow a fraction of the suckedair into a dehumidification flow path while blowing the remainingfraction of the sucked air into a regeneration flow path, it is possibleto reduce the number of elements constituting the air conditioner, andthus, to reduce the installation costs. Also, it is possible to design acompact structure of the air conditioner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above objects, and other features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent after reading the following detaileddescription when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a configuration of aconventional dehumidifier;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a configuration of an airconditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating a blowing fan according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating the blowing fan according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating an air conditioner according toa second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating an air conditioner according toa third embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to the annexed drawings.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a configuration of an airconditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating a blowing fan according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a side viewillustrating the blowing fan according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the air conditioner according to the firstembodiment of the present invention includes a dehumidifying rotor 50divided into an absorption portion 51 adapted to absorb moisture fromair present around the absorption portion 51 and a regeneration portion52 adapted to release the moisture absorbed in the dehumidifying rotor50 in accordance with the moisture absorption of the absorption portion51 to air present around the regeneration potion 52, a dehumidificationflow path 53 defined to extend through the absorption portion 51 andadapted to guide air to be dehumidified by the absorption portion 51,and a regeneration flow path 54 defined to extend through theregeneration portion 52 and adapted to guide air to be humidified by theregeneration portion 52. The air conditioner also includes a blowing fan60 which sucks air from a room to be air-conditioned by the airconditioner or from the outdoors, and forces a fraction of the suckedair to flow along the dehumidification flow path 53 while forcing theremaining fraction of the sucked air to flow along the regeneration flowpath 54.

The air conditioner further includes a heater arranged in theregeneration flow path 54, to heat the air to be introduced into theregeneration portion 52, and a condenser 58 arranged in the regenerationflow path 54, to condense air emerging from the regeneration portion 52.

In order to enable the blowing fan 60 to force the air emerging from thedehumidifying rotor 50 to flow along both the regeneration flow path 54and the dehumidification flow path 53, the condenser 58, dehumidifyingrotor 50, and blowing fan 60 are arranged, in this order, in thedehumidification flow path 53.

The dehumidification flow path 53 has opposite ends communicating withthe room such that indoor air is sucked into the dehumidification flowpath 53, and is then discharged into the room after being dehumidified.

A motor (not shown) is connected to the dehumidifying rotor 50, to turnthe dehumidifying rotor 50 after the use of the dehumidifying rotor 50for a predetermined time such that the positions of the absorptionportion 51 and regeneration portion 52 are reversed.

A drain pan 59 is arranged beneath the condenser 58, to collectcondensed water produced in the condenser 58.

For the blowing fan 60, a centrifugal fan may be used. In this case, asshown in FIG. 3, the blowing fan 60 includes a scroll housing 64 havingan inlet 63, through which air is sucked into the scroll housing 64, andoutlets 61 and 62, through which the sucked air is discharged from thescroll housing 64, and an impeller 65 rotatably mounted in the scrollhousing 64. A motor (not shown) is connected to a central portion of theimpeller 65, to rotate the impeller 65.

The blowing fan 60 is arranged in the dehumidification flow path 53. Theinlet 63 of the blowing fan 60 communicates with the dehumidificationflow path 53, so as to suck the air emerging from the absorption portion51 into the interior of the blowing fan 60. The outlet 61 of the blowingfan 60 discharges a fraction of the air, sucked into the interior of theblowing fan 60 through the inlet 63, into the dehumidification flow path63, whereas the outlet 62 of the blowing fan 60 discharges the remainingfraction of the sucked air into the regeneration flow path 53.

That is, the inlet 63 and first outlet 61 communicate with thedehumidification flow path 53, and the second outlet 62 communicateswith the regeneration flow path 54. In particular, the second outlet 62is arranged perpendicular to the first outlet 61.

In order to efficiently carry out the air discharge into theregeneration flow path 54, it is preferred that the second outlet 62have a cross section A corresponding to 5 to 30% of the scroll area B ofthe scroll housing 64.

The scroll area B of the scroll housing 64 can be expressed as follows:Scroll Area(B)=Scroll Length(I)×Scroll Height(h)

The scroll length I represents the length from a cut-off point c of thescroll housing 64 to an ending point d of a scroll extension angle inthe scroll housing 64, as shown in FIG. 4. The scroll height h is shownin FIG. 3.

Operation of the air conditioner having the above-describedconfiguration according to the illustrated embodiment of the presentinvention will now be described.

When the air conditioner operates, air present in the room, namely,indoor air, is first introduced into the dehumidification flow path 53,and then sequentially passes through the condenser 58 and the absorptionportion 51 of the dehumidifying rotor 50.

The absorption portion 51 of the dehumidifying rotor 50 absorbs moisturefrom the indoor air, so that the indoor air is dehumidified. Thedehumidified air is then introduced into the interior of the blowing fan60 through the inlet 63 of the blowing fan 60.

The air introduced into the interior of the blowing fan 60 is thenradially outwardly discharged in accordance with rotation of theimpeller 65. As a result, a fraction of the air introduced into theinterior of the blowing fan 60 is discharged into the dehumidificationflow path 53 through the first outlet 61, and the remaining fraction ofthe introduced air is discharged into the regeneration flow path 54through the second outlet 62.

The air discharged into the dehumidification flow path 53 through thefirst outlet 61 is again discharged into the room.

On the other hand, the air discharged into the regeneration flow path 54through the second outlet 62 is heated while passing through the heater56. The air heated by the heater 56 then dries the regeneration portion52 of the dehumidifying rotor 50 while passing through the regenerationportion 52. As a result, the regeneration portion 52 of thedehumidifying rotor 50 releases moisture therefrom. Simultaneously, theheated air absorbs the moisture released from the dehumidifying rotor50, so that the heated air is humidified. The humidified air is thenintroduced into the condenser 58.

The air introduced into the condenser 58 heat-exchanges with the indoorair passing around the condenser 58, so that the air in the condenser 58is condensed. The air is then outwardly discharged from the condenser58.

Thus, it is possible to blow air into both the regeneration flow path 54and the dehumidification flow path 53, using only one blowing fan,namely, the blowing fan 60. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce thenumber of the elements constituting the air conditioner, and thus, toreduce the costs.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating an air conditioner according toa second embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5, the air conditioner according to the secondembodiment of the present invention has the same configuration andfunctions as those of the first embodiment, except that a blowing fan 70is arranged between the condenser 58 and the dehumidifying rotor 50, toblow a fraction of air emerging from the condenser 58 to the absorptionportion 51 of the dehumidifying rotor 50 and to blow the remainingfraction of the air to the heater 56. Accordingly, the constituentelements of the second embodiment respectively corresponding to those ofthe first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, andno detailed description thereof will be given.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating an air conditioner according toa third embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 6, the air conditioner according to the thirdembodiment of the present invention has the same configuration andfunctions as those of the first embodiment, except that the airconditioner includes a blowing fan 80 including a scroll housing 83provided with an inlet (not shown) and outlets 81 and 82, and animpeller 84 rotatably mounted in the scroll housing 83, and the outlets81 and 82 are divided from each other by a flow guide 86 mounted to thescroll housing 83. Accordingly, the constituent elements of the thirdembodiment respectively corresponding to those of the first embodimentare designated by the same reference numerals, and no detaileddescription thereof will be given.

As apparent from the above description, the air conditioner according tothe present invention has various effects.

That is, the air conditioner according to the present invention uses asingle blowing fan which has one inlet and a pair of outlets to suck airfrom a room or from the outdoors and to blow a fraction of the suckedair into a dehumidification flow path while blowing the remainingfraction of the sucked air into a regeneration flow path. Accordingly,it is possible to reduce the number of elements constituting the airconditioner, and thus, to reduce the installation costs. Also, it ispossible to design a compact structure of the air conditioner.

Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosedfor illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate thatvarious modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in theaccompanying claims.

1. An air conditioner comprising: a dehumidifying rotor divided into anabsorption portion adapted to absorb moisture from air and aregeneration portion adapted to release moisture to air; adehumidification flow path defined to extend through the absorptionportion and adapted to guide air, to be dehumidified by the absorptionportion, to pass through the absorption portion; a regeneration flowpath defined to extend through the regeneration portion and adapted toguide air, to be humidified by the regeneration portion, to pass throughthe regeneration portion; and a blowing fan which sucks air from a roomor from the outdoors, and forces a fraction of the sucked air to flowalong the dehumidification flow path while forcing the remainingfraction of the sucked air to flow along the regeneration flow path. 2.The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the blowing fan isarranged in the dehumidification flow path.
 3. The air conditioneraccording to claim 1, wherein the blowing fan includes an inlet, throughwhich the air is sucked into blowing fan, and a plurality of outlets,through each of which the air sucked through the inlet is dischargedinto an associated one of the dehumidification flow path and theregeneration flow path.
 4. The air conditioner according to claim 3,wherein the plurality of the outlets comprise a first outlet, throughwhich a fraction of the air sucked through the inlet is discharged intothe dehumidification flow path, and a second outlet, through which theremaining fraction of the sucked air is discharged into the regenerationflow path.
 5. The air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein theinlet and the first outlet communicate with the dehumidification flowpath, and the second outlet communicates with the regeneration flowpath.
 6. The air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein the blowingfan comprises a centrifugal fan including a scroll housing provided withthe inlet, the first outlet, and the second outlet, and an impellerrotatably mounted in the scroll housing.
 7. The air conditioneraccording to claim 4, wherein the first outlet and the second outlet arearranged perpendicular to each other.
 8. The air conditioner accordingto claim 4, wherein the first outlet and the second outlet are dividedfrom each other by a flow guide mounted to the scroll housing.
 9. Theair conditioner according to claim 6, further comprising: a heaterarranged in the regeneration flow path, and adapted to heat the airwhich will pass through the regeneration portion.
 10. The airconditioner according to claim 6, further comprising: a condenserarranged in the regeneration flow path, and adapted to condense the airwhich has passed through the regeneration portion.
 11. The airconditioner according to claim 10, wherein the blowing fan is arrangedin the regeneration flow path between the condenser and thedehumidifying rotor.
 12. An air conditioner comprising: a dehumidifyingrotor divided into an absorption portion adapted to absorb moisture fromair and a regeneration portion adapted to release moisture to air; adehumidification flow path defined to extend through the absorptionportion and adapted to guide air, to be dehumidified by the absorptionportion, to pass through the absorption portion; a regeneration flowpath defined to extend through the regeneration portion and adapted toguide air, to be humidified by the regeneration portion, to pass throughthe regeneration portion; a heater arranged in the regeneration flowpath, and adapted to heat the air which will pass through theregeneration portion; a condenser arranged in the regeneration flowpath, and adapted to condense the air which has passed through theregeneration portion; and a blowing fan which sucks air from a room orfrom the outdoors, and forces a fraction of the sucked air to flow alongthe dehumidification flow path while forcing the remaining fraction ofthe sucked air to flow along the regeneration flow path.
 13. The airconditioner according to claim 12, wherein the blowing fan includes aninlet, through which the air is sucked into blowing fan, and a pluralityof outlets, through each of which the air sucked through the inlet isdischarged into an associated one of the dehumidification flow path andthe regeneration flow path.
 14. The air conditioner according to claim13, wherein the plurality of the outlets comprise a first outlet,through which a fraction of the air sucked through the inlet isdischarged into the dehumidification flow path, and a second outlet,through which the remaining fraction of the sucked air is dischargedinto the regeneration flow path.
 15. The air conditioner according toclaim 14, wherein the inlet and the first outlet communicate with thedehumidification flow path, and the second outlet communicates with theregeneration flow path.
 16. The air conditioner according to claim 14,wherein the first outlet and the second outlet are arrangedperpendicular to each other.
 17. The air conditioner according to claim14, wherein the first outlet and the second outlet are divided from eachother by a flow guide mounted to the scroll housing.
 18. An airconditioner comprising: a dehumidifying rotor divided into an absorptionportion adapted to absorb moisture from air and a regeneration portionadapted to release moisture to air; a dehumidification flow path definedto extend through the absorption portion and adapted to guide air, to bedehumidified by the absorption portion, to pass through the absorptionportion; a regeneration flow path defined to extend through theregeneration portion and adapted to guide air, to be humidified by theregeneration portion, to pass through the regeneration portion; a heaterarranged in the regeneration flow path, and adapted to heat the airwhich will pass through the regeneration portion; a condenser arrangedin the regeneration flow path, and adapted to condense the air which haspassed through the regeneration portion; and a blowing fan which sucksair from a room or from the outdoors, and forces a fraction of thesucked air to flow along the dehumidification flow path while forcingthe remaining fraction of the sucked air to flow along the regenerationflow path, wherein the blowing fan comprises a scroll housing includingan inlet, through which the air is sucked into blowing fan, and aplurality of outlets, through each of which the air sucked through theinlet is discharged into an associated one of the dehumidification flowpath and the regeneration flow path, and an impeller rotatably mountedin the scroll housing.
 19. The air conditioner according to claim 18,wherein the plurality of the outlets comprise a first outletcommunicating with the dehumidification flow path, and a second outletcommunicating with the regeneration flow path.
 20. The air conditioneraccording to claim 19, wherein the first outlet and the second outletare divided from each other by a flow guide mounted to the scrollhousing.